Chamber sponsors event series on women empowerment 

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) has announced its sponsorship of a new series of events led by Birmingham Women in Marketing (BRUMWIM), designed to strengthen representation and confidence among women across Birmingham’s industries.

As part of the sponsorship, GBCC will support a programme of events throughout the year, covering key themes including personal branding, public speaking, AI and creativity, and business rights. 

BRUMWIM was founded to close the confidence gap for women in marketing, for Birmingham’s creative industries. 

The community has been built on collective action-lifting women up, sharing powerful stories, and making sure every woman has the tools to lead with confidence. BRUMWIM run regular events throughout the year.

The full event series includes: 

Personal Brand: Thursday, 26 February

Public Speaking: Thursday, 23 April 

AI and Creativity: Thursday, 25 June 

Business legal/rights: Thursday 24 September

Places are now open for the Personal Brand seminar, which will take place at the ICC on 26 February from 6 pm to 8 pm. 

The keynote speaker of the event is Jo Bird, an award-winning creative director, brand builder and keynote speaker trusted by global brands to turn ideas into commercial impact. 

Jo has a decade of experience inside fast-growth challenger brands including Gymshark and Lounge. 

She also has delivered talks and workshops for brands including Holland & Barrett, Flo, and STRATEGIQ, and at major events such as TEDxPCL and Campaign’s In-Housing Summit. 

Attendees can also hear from Sophie Poduvel-Morrel, manager of the Future Faces Chamber of Commerce on how to build your own personal brand. 

Jo and Sophie will be joined by Ollie McGrath, a marketeer and content creator who leads New Business at the award-winning Tribera as client growth manager.

In recent months, Ollie has actively tried to level up his LinkedIn presence growing 1,700 to 5,000 followers and increasing post impressions by 600 per cent.

The seminar will be hosted by Fran Nolan. 

Paula Bates, GBCC head of marketing, digital and events, said “Sponsoring BRUMWIM’s event series was a natural decision for us. 

“Their focus on closing the confidence gap for women in marketing strongly aligns with our wider commitment to promoting equal opportunities across Greater Birmingham’s business community.

“Our support goes beyond visibility. Through this sponsorship, we are helping to create practical forums where women can develop their personal brand, build confidence in public speaking, explore the role of AI in creativity and better understand their legal rights in business.”

Fran Nolan, founder of BRUMWIM, said: “BRUMWIM was never created to sit quietly and politely request change. 

“From day one, we set out to champion gender equality, spotlight the extraordinary diverse talent within Birmingham’s marketing and creative industries, and build the confidence of women navigating barriers that still exist.

“Having the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce step forward as a proud sponsor of BRUMWIM is incredibly significant for us. It sends a commanding message that our purpose is central to the future of our city’s business community.

“Paula Bates has been a massive advocate of BRUMWIM from the very beginning as one of our founding 10, and her belief in what we’re building - alongside this wider sponsorship commitment through 2026 - gives us the stability and momentum to expand our reach and deepen our impact.

“Our partnership represents a powerful shared ambition. Together, we’re empowering women and elevating Birmingham - ensuring our creative industries are more representative, more confident, and truly unstoppable."

Meanwhile, GBCC has also launched a dedicated page for women in business, highlighting achievements and offering support through a range of events and signposting. 

Paula continued: “We wanted to ensure our support for women in business is visible, practical and ongoing. The new women in business webpage acts as a central hub, showcasing success stories, highlighting upcoming opportunities and signposting the support available across our network.

“It reflects our long-term commitment to strengthening representation and confidence across the region. By bringing together resources and celebrating role models, we hope to create a space where women at every stage of their career can feel supported, connected and empowered to progress.”